Gas compressor

ABSTRACT

A compressor having a gas-compressing cylinder-and-piston arrangement with inlet and discharge plenum chambers in flow communication with inlet and discharge ports and with the cylinder. The chambers are side-by-side, sharing a common wall which wall radiates heat from the discharge plenum chamber into the inlet plenum chamber. Troughs are arranged in the chambers more positively to direct gas flow, especially away from the commonly shared wall and all other heat-radiating walls, to inhibit gas turbulence and to reduce preheating, thereby to enhance compressor efficiency.

United States Patent (72] Inventor Arthur R. Worster Painted Post, N.Y. [211 Appl. No. 832,179 [22] Filed June 11,1969 [45] Patented June 15,1971 [73] Assignee lngersolLRand Company New York, N.Y.

[54] GAS COMPRESSOR 16 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.8. I 417/542, 137/338, 137/375 [51] Int. Cl ..F04b 39/00, F16k 49/00 [50] Field of Search. 230/172, 227, 208;4l7/542, 71, 571; 137/338, 375

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 175,020 3/1876 Boyle 230/172 454,646 6/1891 Garrison 230/227 501,046 4/1893 Quast 230/172 2,620,125 12/1952 Kilchenmann 230/172 421,414 2/1880 MacDonald 230/172 Primary Examiner-Henry F. Raduazo At!0rneysCarlR. Horten, David W. Tibbott and Bernard J Murphy 5o 50 l 56 l I l m he 54 54 121 42 46 38 /46 E/ 64 58 60 l, 44

I 2 I f e2 f g t i I a \5!! 3. l as I v 30 24 l L 40 1: l 5 20- 1;; I ,l 26 g i 7 32 l; 3i 7 In: 1; r I l l i l 22 as PATENTEDJUHISISH 3,584,981

FIG.

62 INVENTOR 66 F/(;, 2 ARTHUR H. WORSTER AGENT GAS COMPRESSOR This invention pertains to gas compressors, and in particular to gas compressors having means designed to control gas flow turbulence therewithin, and inlet gas preheating.

In the prior art it is known to control gas flow turbulence by positively ducting inlet gas and discharging, compressed gas to and from the compression cylinder or chamber. However, such ducting is of limited cross-sectional dimension, being provisioned for unidirectionally conveying gas therethrough. In no way can it function as a plenum chamber in which to damp gas pulsations.

On the other hand, prior art compressors which employ pulsation-damping plenum chambers, between the inlet and outlet ports and the compression chamber, must sustain the inefficiency proceeding from gas flow turbulence occurring in these plenum chambers.

The plenum chamber-type of compressors, in order to delimit the gross dimensions of the apparatus, necessarily have the plenum chambers in apposition or juxtaposition. However, in this, the chambers are commonly in a heat exchange relationship, the outlet plenum chamber-radiating heat therefrom-via proximate or common walls-into the inlet plenum chamber. Then, to avoid inordinate preheating of the inlet gas, it has been necessary that the heat-radiating walls be cored for circulating coolant, or insulated, to inhibit the heat radiation. These heat-radiation control means are both complex and expensive to fabricate and maintain and, however effective, they nonetheless in no way mitigate the turbulence unavoidably proceeding from the plenum chambers. What is especially to be desired is a gas compressor which provisions plenum chambers for damping pulsations therewithin, with means mitigating the chambers-induced turbulence, and simple and inexpensive means for largely avoiding inlet gas preheating and the deleterious or inefficient effects thereof.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to teach a gas compressor having juxtapositioned, pulsation-damping plenum chambers with means for mitigating the chambers-induced turbulence.

It is another object of this invention to teach a gas compressor having juxtapositioned, pulsation-damping plenum chambers with means for largely avoiding inlet gas preheating.

A feature of this invention comprises the use of troughs in the plenum chambers more positively, i.e., with negligible turbulence, to direct gas flow, and significantly to direct gas flow away from the chambers heat radiating walls.

Further objects and features of this invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. I is a vertical illustration of a portion of a gas compressor, in partial cross section, showing inlet and discharge troughs in association with inlet and discharge porting and valves, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the inlet trough, and a portion of the inlet valve, taken along section 2-2 of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1 a gas compressor I comprises a piston chamber or a compression cylinder 12 in which is disposed a piston 14 for reciprocation therewithin to compress gas within said chamber. The compressor further comprises an inlet plenum chamber 16 and a discharge plenum chamber 18. The plenum chambers are provisioned to accommodate for gas pulsations.

An external inlet port 20, a first internal inlet port 22 and a second internal inlet port 24 provide for the conduction of gas from a source thereof to chamber 12. An external discharge port 26 and first and second internal discharge ports 28 and 30, respectively, provide for the conduct of compressed gas from chamber 12. The gas is conducted to and from ports and 26 by way of inlet and discharge cavities 32 and 34 respectively.

An inlet valve 36 is sealingly disposed in second internal inlet port 24 and has associated therewith an unloading device 38. A port (not shown) communicates with device 38 to cause unloading of inlet valve 36 in a manner well-known and practiced in the prior art. A discharge valve 40 is sealingly disposed in second internal discharge port 30.

Two troughs, inlet trough 42 and discharge trough 44, are disposed, respectively, over valves 36 and 40 and in adjacency to ports 22 and 28. The troughs are defined by enveloping walls 46. The walls 46 are provided for more positively directing the gas through the plenum chambers 16 and 18 and into and out of the piston chamber 12.

It is to be noted that the housing 48 in which all the priorly described components are formed or disposed comprises an external wall 50 and an internal wall 52. Internal wall 52 partitions between plenum chambers 16 and 18. Accordingly, the gas which is compressed by piston 14 in chamber 12 is admitted to discharge plenum chamber 18 and, because of the heat generated in the compression of the gas, wall 52 becomes heated and radiates the heat therefrom into inlet plenum chamber 16. As a consequence of this, the inlet gas would be preheated, contributing to inefficiency of the compressor. For this reason, I have provisioned the troughs 42 and 44 to provide for the passage of the gas through plenum chambers 16 and 18 in a manner avoiding contact with walls 50 and 52.

An adjustable strut 54 is arranged between a recessed boss 56 extending internally from wall 50 and a recess 58 formed in the outer surface of troughs 42 and 44. An inner termination 60 of each of the troughs defines a semicircular lip and engages a half portion of each respective valve 36 or 40. Also a web 62 is formed within and extends from the center of each of the troughs, and the web has a right-angular termination 64 for engaging said valves. Therefore, the terminations 60 and 64, in cooperation with the adjustable strut 54, serve both to position the troughs relative to the valves and to restrain the valves in position in ports 24 and 30. I

As shown in FIG. 2, the portion of each trough extending between points A and B is fully open, and comprises the troughway, and said portion is not in contacting engagement with any other members or components of the gas compressor. Within this portion or area only web 62 makes any contact engagement with a member, notably the valves 36 or 40. Accordingly, gas can freely flow over and about the walls 46, in this A to B portion, for purposes of pulsation. However, the major constituent of the inlet gas is less turbulently, i.e., more positively directed from port 22 to port 24, and from port 30 to port 28, in spaced relation from walls 50 and 52. The portion of the troughs 42 and 44 extending between points B and C is the only portion closed about and fully in engagement with the valves, a portion 66 of valve 36 being shown therein.

In operation, gas is drawn sequentially through ports 20, 22 and 24, the last via valve 36, when the piston is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1. The air is more positively confined by the trough 42, thereby being conducted to chamber 12 with a minimum of turbulence, and shielded against preheating thereof by radiation from walls 50 and especially wall 52. When piston 14 moves in the opposite direction, the gas is compressed in chamber 12, admitted through valve 40 and port 30 into trough 44, and out of ports 28 and 26. Accordingly, it is a teaching of my invention to provide means disposed within gas-pulsation-accommodating plenum chambers for directing the gas more positively through limited portions of said chambers, with a minimum of turbulence and also to avoid preheating.

Prior to my invention, as I have noted, it was desirable to provision plenum chambers to accommodate for gas pulsations, but this required that unwanted gas turbulence therein had to be sustained. Again, it was known priorly positively to conduct gas through uniform-diameter conduits, but this required that provisions for gas pulsations be sacrificed. Heretofore it has been incumbent to choose whichever was considered to be the less disadvantaged approach for a given application. It was not known how to structure a gas compressor to benefit from the advantages of both while avoiding the disadvantages of each, until my present teaching. My teaching provides these advantages of reducing turbulence, and more positively conducting flow, while accommodating for gas pulsations, and further, probably most significantly, avoids inlet gas preheating. Very early testing of my invention has already proved a 20 to 30 (Fahrenheit) difference in inlet gas preheating, a difference which offers savings in power input, minimizing of valve failures, and better cylinder lubrication,

While l have described my invention in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be clearly understood that this is done only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

I claim: 1. A gas compressor comprising: chamber means for receiving gas therewithin; means movable within said chamber means for compressing chamber-received gas; inlet porting and discharge porting, respectively, for conducting inlet gas to, and for discharging compressed gas from said chamber means; means, having a given volumetric area, arranged between said porting and said chamber means for channeling gas flow therebetween; and means disposed in said channeling means for directing said gas flow only through a limited portion of said area; wherein said chamber means comprises a gas compression chamber; said compressing means comprises a partition in sealing engagement with walls of said compression chamber; said channeling means comprises insular plenum chambers each of which has an aperture formed therein opening on said compression chamber; each of said porting comprises a walled cavity having a first port formed in a wall thereof for conducting gas therethrough, and at least a second port formed in a wall thereof, and opening on one of said plenum chambers, facilitating flow communication between said cavity and said one plenum chamber; and wherein said cavity has a third port formed in a wall thereof facilitating a flow communication between said cavity and still another plenum chamber. 2. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said channeling means comprises means for damping gas pulsations therewithin. 3. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of said chambers channels said inlet gas therethrough; at least another of said chambers channels said discharge gas therethrough; and said chambers are juxtapositioned causing a heat exchange relationship to be established therebetween. 4. A gas compressor, according to claim 3, wherein: said chambers commonly share a given wall member which radiates heat, a heat induced in said wall member by said discharge gas in said another chamber, into said one chamber. 5. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said directing means comprises troughways having either ends thereof disposed in adjacency to said porting and said chamber means, respectively. 6. A gas compressor, according to claim 5, wherein: said troughways each have one end thereof in sealed through-going engagement with said chamber means, and the other end thereof disposed in proximately spaced relationship with said porting to facilitate a communication of said porting with said channeling means about said other end. 7. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said walls of at least one of said plenum chambers are contiguous, and thereby have a heat exchange relationship, with said walls of at least another of said plenum chambers. 8. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein:

said directing means comprises troughlike components having throughways formed therein and extending along an axis, one end of each of said troughways being in sealed, flow-through engagement with said compression chamber, and the other end of each of said troughways being disposed in proximately spaced adjacency to one of said ports.

9. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, further including means disposed in said apertures for controlling gas flow therethrough.

10. A gas compressor, according to claim 8, further including:

means disposed in said one end for controlling gas flow therethrough.

11. A gas compressor, according to claim' 10, wherein:

said controlling means comprises a valve; and

wherein each of said components have a web, extending along said axis, having a terminal surface thereofin contacting engagement with said valve securely to constrain 12. A gas compressor, comprising:

chamber means for receiving gas therewithin;

means movable within said gas chamber means for compressing chamber-received gas;

inlet porting and discharge porting, respectively, for conducting inlet gas to, and for discharging compressed gas from said chamber means;

means, having a given volumetric area, arranged between said porting and said chamber means for channeling gas flow therebetween; and

means disposed in said channeling means for directing said gas flow only through a limited portion of said area; wherein said channeling means comprises a plurality of insular plenum chambers;

each of said plenum chambers has walls, defining the volume thereof, and openings in gas-flow communication with said chamber means and one of said inlet and discharge portings; and

said directing means comprises troughs, supported within said plenum chambers, having troughways for directing said gas flow therethrough in spaced relation from said walls; and further including adjustable strut means, interposed between said walls and each of said troughs, for securing said troughs in said chambers.

13: A gas compressor, comprising:

chamber means for receiving gas therewithin;

means movable within said chamber means for compressing chamber-received gas;

inlet porting and discharge porting, respectively, for conducting inlet gas to, and for discharging compressed gas from said chamber means;

means, having a given volumetric area, arranged between said porting and said chamber means for channeling gas flow therebetween; and

means disposed in said channeling means for directing said gas flow only through a limited portion of said area; and wherein said porting comprises means for conducting said gas to said chamber means in a first direction along an initial, given flow path, and from said chamber means in a second direction along another, given flow path, respectively;

said channeling means has means effective for terminating said given flow paths at a given distance from said chamber means, in being disposed to cause impingement thereupon, and flow redirection therefrom, of said gas; and

said directing means comprises means disposed between said porting and said terminating means effective for foreshortening said given distance.

14. A gas compressor, according to claim 13, wherein:

said terminating means comprises a wall disposed transverse to said flow paths; and

wherein said channeling means include means disposed for initially channeling gas thereinto in a first direction along given flow paths, and means effective for turbulently redirecting said gas from said paths; and

said directing meansinclude means for turning said gas from said given flow paths and composing same into at least another predetermined flow path.

16. A gas compressor, according to claim 15, wherein:

said turning means include means for turning said gas from said another flow path and composing same into a further predetermined flow path. 

1. A gas compressor comprising: chamber means for receiving gas therewithin; means movable within said chamber means for compressing chamberreceived gas; inlet porting and discharge porting, respectively, for conducting inlet gas to, and for discharging compressed gas from said chamber means; means, having a given volumetric area, arranged between said porting and said chamber means for channeling gas flow therebetween; and means disposed in said channeling means for directing said gas flow only through a limited portion of said area; wherein said chamber means comprises a gas compression chamber; said compressing means comprises a partition in sealing engagement with walls of said compression chamber; said channeling means comprises insular plenum chambers each of which has an aperture formed therein opening on said compression chamber; each of said porting comprises a walled cavity having a first port formed in a wall thereof for conducting gas therethrough, and at least a second port formed in a wall thereof, and opening on one of said plenum chambers, facilitating flow communication between said cavity and said one plenum chamber; and wherein said cavity has a third port formed in a wall thereof facilitating a flow communication between said cavity and still another plenum chamber.
 2. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said channeling means comprises means for damping gas pulsations therewithin.
 3. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of said chambers channels said inlet gas therethrough; at least another of said chambers channels said discharge gas therethrough; and said chambers are juxtapositioned causing a Heat exchange relationship to be established therebetween.
 4. A gas compressor, according to claim 3, wherein: said chambers commonly share a given wall member which radiates heat, a heat induced in said wall member by said discharge gas in said another chamber, into said one chamber.
 5. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said directing means comprises troughways having either ends thereof disposed in adjacency to said porting and said chamber means, respectively.
 6. A gas compressor, according to claim 5, wherein: said troughways each have one end thereof in sealed through-going engagement with said chamber means, and the other end thereof disposed in proximately spaced relationship with said porting to facilitate a communication of said porting with said channeling means about said other end.
 7. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said walls of at least one of said plenum chambers are contiguous, and thereby have a heat exchange relationship, with said walls of at least another of said plenum chambers.
 8. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said directing means comprises troughlike components having throughways formed therein and extending along an axis, one end of each of said troughways being in sealed, flow-through engagement with said compression chamber, and the other end of each of said troughways being disposed in proximately spaced adjacency to one of said ports.
 9. A gas compressor, according to claim 1, further including means disposed in said apertures for controlling gas flow therethrough.
 10. A gas compressor, according to claim 8, further including: means disposed in said one end for controlling gas flow therethrough.
 11. A gas compressor, according to claim 10, wherein: said controlling means comprises a valve; and wherein each of said components have a web, extending along said axis, having a terminal surface thereof in contacting engagement with said valve securely to constrain
 12. A gas compressor, comprising: chamber means for receiving gas therewithin; means movable within said gas chamber means for compressing chamber-received gas; inlet porting and discharge porting, respectively, for conducting inlet gas to, and for discharging compressed gas from said chamber means; means, having a given volumetric area, arranged between said porting and said chamber means for channeling gas flow therebetween; and means disposed in said channeling means for directing said gas flow only through a limited portion of said area; wherein said channeling means comprises a plurality of insular plenum chambers; each of said plenum chambers has walls, defining the volume thereof, and openings in gas-flow communication with said chamber means and one of said inlet and discharge portings; and said directing means comprises troughs, supported within said plenum chambers, having troughways for directing said gas flow therethrough in spaced relation from said walls; and further including adjustable strut means, interposed between said walls and each of said troughs, for securing said troughs in said chambers.
 13. A gas compressor, comprising: chamber means for receiving gas therewithin; means movable within said chamber means for compressing chamber-received gas; inlet porting and discharge porting, respectively, for conducting inlet gas to, and for discharging compressed gas from said chamber means; means, having a given volumetric area, arranged between said porting and said chamber means for channeling gas flow therebetween; and means disposed in said channeling means for directing said gas flow only through a limited portion of said area; and wherein said porting comprises means for conducting said gas to said chamber means in a first direction along an initial, given flow path, and from said chamber means in a second direction along another, given flow path, respectively; saId channeling means has means effective for terminating said given flow paths at a given distance from said chamber means, in being disposed to cause impingement thereupon, and flow redirection therefrom, of said gas; and said directing means comprises means disposed between said porting and said terminating means effective for foreshortening said given distance.
 14. A gas compressor, according to claim 13, wherein: said terminating means comprises a wall disposed transverse to said flow paths; and said foreshortening means comprises troughways extending along an axis which parallels said wall.
 15. A gas compressor, comprising: chamber means for receiving gas therewithin; means movable within said chamber means for compressing chamber-received gas; inlet porting and discharge porting, respectively, for conducting inlet gas to, and for discharging compressed gas from said chamber means; means, having a given volumetric area, arranged between said porting and said chamber means for channeling gas flow therebetween; and means disposed in said channeling means for directing said gas flow only through a limited portion of said area; and wherein said channeling means include means disposed for initially channeling gas thereinto in a first direction along given flow paths, and means effective for turbulently redirecting said gas from said paths; and said directing means include means for turning said gas from said given flow paths and composing same into at least another predetermined flow path.
 16. A gas compressor, according to claim 15, wherein: said turning means include means for turning said gas from said another flow path and composing same into a further predetermined flow path. 